Wheel of Fortune

Still in the refurbishing mode. Recently I read an article which suggested that the two Lime trees by the Second World War Memorial were diseased having been infected with the fungus Ustuline Deusta. It continued with a recommendation to the Parochial Church Council (PCC) that they, being the owners of the “triangle,” should have the trees inspected as they have a duty of safety to consider. In March 2002 the Billericay Town Council commissioned an arboriculturalist to examine the trees and comment on their suitability; he reported that the trees were past their prime and should be removed to “lessen any danger to the public.” Subsequently the trees were made the subject of a tree preservation order and consequently could not be replaced. 

The thought occurs to me that if the PCC were to seek the opinion of an arboriculturalist and he was to confirm that the trees were unsuitable and a danger to the public what would happen next???? 

Later in the article a better use for the area between the north facing wall of the church and the Second World War Memorial was proposed. It was recommended that this area “should be re-paved as an area with seating and planters to provide a tranquil rest area in the High Street.”  Additionally it as suggested that it could be used as an area” with a stall for promoting events in Billericay and charity collections.”  In the February 2008 issue of The Resident there is an artist’s impression of the plan submitted by Billericay Town Council for planning approval. The area under discussion is shown as being paved with flags which incidentally were of Yorkshire stone. This plan was originally recommended for approval by the local planning authority but, after the war memorial was made a Grade II listed building, revoked its approval. There were some expressions of concern when the Town Council proposed that the area could be used for community purposes, it was even rumoured that a café would be built, but many groups already used the area for plant sales and the like at the time. 

Finally in a letter to the editor published in the April 2008 edition of The Resident in which the correspondent states ”why don’t they do something positive, like fund raising, so that the World War II Memorial could be carefully dismantled and rebuilt in its present image on the same site using more durable materials”.  

The whole reason for the plan produced by the Town Council was to create an aesthetically pleasing site to accommodate a memorial constructed of quality materials, simple, reverent and elegant in design to commemorate those who made the ultimate sacrifice. The suggestions made in the article are but a few short steps away from the design proposed by the Town Council, the subdued lighting to illuminate the church and war memorial, the pit, complete with electrics for the Christmas tree , are all that are missing. Why then was the plan opposed?